Forgive my prayers

February 2, 2011  David Murray   6 comments

My prayers are prayerless and faithless;
My prayers are old and cold;
My prayers are repetitive and ineffective;
My prayers are acted and distracted.

My prayers are accurate but not appropriate;
My prayers are regular but not spontaneous;
My prayers are short but not sweet;
And, praise God, my prayers are forgiven but not forgotten.

  • Tim Challies

    David,I agree entirely. But I wonder…do you think the Lord looks at your prayers as prayerless and faithless, old and cold, and so on? You know what is in your heart and you see your prayers as all of this. But don’t you think the Father sees them as beautiful and wonderful? They may not be in an objective kind of sense (whatever that means!) but don’t you think your prayers arrive in the ear of God the way your children’s “I love you’s” arrive in your ears?I guess I’m saying that it’s worth trying to see those prayers from God’s eyes. If I know anything about fatherhood (which is in some ways a true reflection of Fatherhood) I think he loves and treasures those prayers.

  • David Murray

    Thanks much Tim. That is soooo helpful and encouraging. I guess when you come away from a conference on prayer you tend to be a bit over-focused on the human viewpoint. But this is a helpful and hopeful note that you sound, and I appreciate it deeply.

  • Aileen

    I’ve been reading the little book on prayer by Drs. Beeke. The study of prayer is exhausting and daunting. Isn’t it true that we feel as though our prayers are so earthly and selfish, and not “enough” for God? … but what we feel doesn’t determine His truth.

  • Petra

    Good to meet another poet, especially one so honest but not alone in his prayer struggles. :-) I’ve just started reading “Prayer” by Karl Barth and so far it’s been a great help. Tim Challis’ comment is also very comforting. God bless!

  • James Hakim

    but… I (and others like me) am not the only one praying for me. I have One, who is both beloved unto and well pleasing to God, who always lives to intercede for me. I have Another who comprehends the thoughts of God and intercedes for me with groanings that words cannot express. And, I trust, that every elect person under my charge has these advocating for them, besides the pathetic prayers of their pastor.So, I am not uncomfortable praying for forgiveness of my prayers, any more than I am uncomfortable praying for forgiveness for the best works that I ever do. Rather, it increases my awe at Christ, whose human prayers and actions are all absolutely perfect, even to God’s exacting standards. Not only do my failures show in bold relief His perfections, but His perfections are so great that when my failures are received through Him, God hears, as Tim says, the “I love yous” of one of His own dear children.What glories have been secured for us by the Lord Jesus Christ!

  • David Murray

    Thanks for ministering to me, James.